Coalition Negotiations: Bibi & Gantz to Possibly Take Turns as PM

President Reuven Rivlin on Monday night met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party and Blue and White party leader Member of Knesset (MK) Benny Gantz at the President’s official residence.

By: Arye Green

Rivlin invited the party leaders to work together to form a unity government based on a broad coalition and prevent the possibility of a third round of elections.

Going into the meeting, Rivlin told Netanyahu and Gantz that “The nation expects you to find a solution and prevent another round of elections, even at a personal or an ideological cost. This is not a time for boycotts.”

The three began the meeting at 8:00 PM, and after approximately an hour Rivlin left the party leaders to discuss the prospects of a unity government. The two leaders continued the discussion for over an hour. As he left, Rivlin sounded cautiously hopeful regarding the possibility of a unity government. “We have taken a significant step forward tonight, and now the first challenge is to establish a channel of direct communication between the sides,” Rivlin said.

Netanyahu and Gantz issued a joint statement as they concluded their meeting, saying they “discussed ways to promote national unity, and have agreed that the party’s negotiation teams will meet tomorrow.”

President Rivlin has invited the party leaders to meet him again on Wednesday, to continue discussing prospects of a coalition government that includes both major parties.

Earlier on Monday, President Rivlin concluded his round of consultations with the newly elected Members of Knesset with no candidate receiving a majority of 60 or more recommendations to be tasked with forming a government.

On Sunday evening, Rivlin met with MKs from Blue and White, Likud, the Joint List, Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu. The consultations continued on Monday morning when Rivlin met with Yemina, United Torah Judaism, Labor+Gesher and the Democratic Union.

MK Benny Gantz was recommended by the members of Blue and White, 10 out of the 13 members of the Joint List, Labor+Gesher and the Democratic Union, totaling at 54 recommendations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a total of 55 recommendation by the members of Likud, Shas, UTJ and Yemina.

Gantz would have received more recommendations than Netanyahu if all members of the Joint List lent him their support. However, the Balad faction did not recommend any candidate to the president.

Yisrael Beiteinu, led by MK Avigdor Liberman, also chose not to recommend any candidate, leaving both Gantz and Netanyahu with no decisive majority. Liberman has said he wants to see the formation of a unity government and therefore chose to deprive both ideological blocs of a clear majority.

It is unclear what Rivlin intends to do in light of the inconclusive consultation round. He has said, however, that he intends to do all he can to aid the formation of a unity government. (TPS)